Metro work, a variety of major road closures and emergency drills could slow you down this weekend around the D.C. area.
On Metro, Vienna and West Falls Church are closed Saturday and Sunday on the Orange Line. Single-tracking for switch work at Reagan National Airport ahead of the upcoming shutdown cuts the Blue and Yellow Lines to every 20 minutes each, and Silver Line trains are scheduled every 12 to 16 minutes.
Red Line trains run largely normally except for Sunday morning. Tenleytown, Friendship Heights and Bethesda stations are scheduled to be closed from opening until 2 p.m. Sunday for an emergency drill. Shuttle buses are scheduled to run between Van Ness and Medical Center.
Major road closures
In Maryland, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway is scheduled to close in both directions in Baltimore from 9 p.m. Friday until early Monday morning.
During the closure for Annapolis Road Bridge demolition, drivers will be diverted onto Interstate 95 and Interstate 695 (Baltimore Beltway). Drivers on southbound I-95 or on I-695 will not be able to exit onto the BW Parkway (Md. 295) southbound. The detour will allow southbound drivers to access the BW Parkway at I-695 in Anne Arundel County and northbound drivers to access Russell Street from Interstate 95.
Among other closures this weekend, two lanes of northbound Rockville Pike in front of the new Walter Reed Bethesda are scheduled to be closed all weekend for repairs following water line replacement.
In Virginia, this is the first of four straight weekends with even more significant lane closures on Interstate 395 alongside toll lane construction. The HOV lanes will be open northbound this weekend, with two regular lanes closed from late Friday night through Sunday afternoon. The ramps from Duke Street to northbound 395 will be closed.
Drivers along I-395 and elsewhere in Arlington may also see an emergency drill Saturday morning at Reagan National Airport. The full-scale drill, held once every three years, includes simulating a crash on the runway with smoke, fire and fake injuries, mass casualty triage and emergency coordination.
On Sunday morning, part of the George Washington Parkway closes by 6:30 a.m. for the 35th Annual Parkway Classic road race. The route for the 10-mile run goes from Mount Vernon up the parkway to Old Town Alexandria. The 5K route begins at Belle Haven Road. The race has shuttle buses for runners to the start line and then from the finish to designated parking areas.
In Fairfax County, the eastbound Dulles Access Road will also be blocked approaching the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride, which will narrow the Dulles Toll Road as well. Drivers from the airport will still be able to drive without paying a toll.
Part of eastbound U.S. 50 will be closed next to Fair Oaks Mall for water pipe replacement. From 7 p.m. Friday through late Sunday night, eastbound drivers will be detoured onto West Ox Road, Monument Drive, the Fairfax County Parkway and Interstate 66. From the mall, only the ramp to eastbound 50 that is closest to Interstate 66 will be open. Westbound U.S. 50 will remain open.
A number of 5K races and similar events are also scheduled to close roads across the region.
